Chapter 17: Dumbledore's Departure
Indigo felt her heart going ten to the dozen, there was no way she could be expelled. Her life would fall to ruins if she allowed that to happen.
She looked over at Hadrian as he lead her forwards and wondered if he'd let her take the fall.
She caught his eye and she saw the pleading in those deep emerald eyes.
He wanted her to trust him.
They entered Dumbledore's office and she felt her heart in her throat.
She witnessed the staring competition between the Minister and Dumbledore for only a moment before their attention snapped to the entering party.
There were two intimidating Aurors behind the Minister. Kingsley she knew, he'd been a friend of her parents and he was in the Order as well but she'd heard nothing but horrid things about the other Auror there. Dawlish was known for his brutality.
Percy Weasley, the Minister's assistant was also stood to the Minister's right, looking uptight and stoic.
Professor McGonagall and Flitwick were stood near Dumbledore, showing their obvious loyalty.
Marietta was stood to the side, hiding her face and head with a scarf trembling, tears splashing down her face. She was obviously in pain from the curse that was on the parchment.
Indigo knew there was no getting out of this.
She'd be packing by the end of the night.
She watched a slight smirk erupt on Hadrian's face.
"We are here because we have been alerted to the breech of a Ministry approved Educational degree. The perpetrator will be expelled indefinitely and we will then go on to question whether Headmaster Dumbledore is fit to stay at Hogwarts with such illegal activities happening under his nose," Minister Fudge said with a superior smirk on his face.
"Speaking of a student as if they're a criminal is low, even for you, Minister Fudge. If you are willing to allow a student's future to be caught up in your hatred of the Headmaster then a vote of no confidence can not come quicker," McGonagall spat.
"Mr Malfoy here caught the leader, or at least one of the leaders if my suspicions are correct. Miss Vixen has been nothing but trouble all year so it isn't surprising that she is a founder of such illegal activities. When Miss Edgecombe came to my office, not even an hour ago, and spoke of a club that was in progress. The students were been taught unapproved spells and were going against many of the Ministry's degrees that had been put into place for their own good," Umbridge sniffed, her eyes gloating.
"There own good? The students sitting their OWLs and NEWTs this year will be lucky to even get an A in Defence never mind an O," McGonagall snapped.
Harry slipped his hand into Indigo's pocket and as he did he cast an invisible ink charm that would slowly turn the ink on the parchment, inside the pocket, invisible.
"Now Marietta dear why don't you tell the Minister just what went on in these illegal meetings," Umbridge said ignoring McGonagall completely.
Marietta said something but it was muffled by her scarf.
"Take that away from your mouth and say it again dear," Umbridge giggled slightly, her eyes straining slightly.
Marietta let out a sob and shook her head.
"Don't be silly child! This is an important matter at hand," Fudge snapped, showing no patience.
He pulled the scarf with force and Marietta's face was exposed to the room.
Indigo smirked slightly.
Hermione was just going to cast an irreversible pimple spell but Indigo had added her own piece of charms work.
Hermione's spell had made it so Marietta's face had broken out in bad acne spelling SNEAK. Indigo's additional magic had made it so the girl's hair had fallen out and other nasty and vulgar words were charmed to flash across her bald head.
The spells could only be broken if a phrase was spoken and her signature on the member parchment was tapped at the same time.
Marietta brust out into tears, sobbing heavily, from everyone's reactions and snatched her scarf back.
"Is there no way to remove the curse?" Fudge snapped impatient.
"We haven't been able to find one, Minister," Kingsley stated calmly.
"I don't think it's needed anyway," Hadrian said stepping forwards with the parchment in hand. "I found this on the floor when I caught Vixen,"
Indigo gasped as she realised what it was.
The whole room watched as the very last names on the sheet vanished leaving only the name of the club, which was also slowly disappearing.
"Dumbledore's Army?" Fudge breathed, his eyes wide as he snapped them from the parchment and to Dumbledore and then back again. "I knew it! Trying to get the students to rise against the Ministry aren't you Dumbledore! Oho you thought you had me fooled didn't you. This girl, I take it she is your lutenant or student leader is she?"
Dumbledore looked from the parchment and then to Harry.
Hadrian witnessed something flash in his eyes before the headmaster turned back to Fudge.
It was now a question of whom would Dumbledore save.
Himself or his students?
"No, as you can see, Cornelius the parchment says Dumbledore's Army. I am the sole leader. Miss Vixen has committed no crimes against the Ministry as tonight was supposed to be the first meeting. Isn't that correct, Miss Vixen?" Dumbledore stated calmly as if he was just conversing over the weather.
"Yes Headmaster," Indigo breathed.
She looked at Hadrian and couldn't believe it.
The success that flashed through his eyes only for a second was enough to tell her that he had predicted this. Had it been Hermione that got caught then she doubted her best friend would have still been enrolled in Hogwarts. He would have let them expel Hermione as well as fire Dumbledore.
"I take it you want to know my replacement?" Dumbledore asked.
"You've committed a criminal offence, Dumbledore. I don't want your replacement, I want you in chains. You'll be serving a long while in Azkaban for this, let me assure you that. A student well they would have just been expelled but a wizard of your status really should have known better," Fudge snorted gleefully. "Dawlish, Shacklebolt, arrest this man, Weasley go owl Azkaban and tell them to await a new inmate,"
"I'm afraid Cornelius that your idiocy has once again run amok. I have no intention of going to Azkaban. Removing me from Hogwarts has simply freed up some of my time," Dumbledore smiled calmly.
"Wha-"
Harry grabbed hold of Indigo's arm and dragged her to the floor as Dumbledore let off a temporary stunner.
It took out all it came in contact with like a gust of wind, unlike a normal stunner which could only be used efficiently on one person, but it didn't last too long.
Harry put his finger to his lip as Indigo went to make a noise.
There was a cloud of smoke, residue of the spell, covering them from been seen by the professors.
"You must keep an eye on the Slytherin boys. Neville Longbottom will be needed and further corruption from the Malfoy twins will cause problems. Keep your eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. I worry it may be too late for the twins and soon it may even be too late for many others," Dumbledore said to the professors.
"Surely not, Albus, they're just boys," McGonagall muttered.
"I hope not, Minerva, but I can not rightly say I have any hope in that hope," Dumbledore responded. "I must go now, you know how to contact me. Tell Kingsley that I apologise,"
There was a flash of fire and Dumbledore's presence was gone from the room.
The smoke started to clear as groans were heard from Fudge, Umbridge and the rest of their supporters.
Harry pulled Indigo up.
"I expect to see you in my office for your first detention, out of a months worth, tomorrow, Miss Vixen. Hadrian if you'll escort her back to her common room while the rest of us search the castle for Dumbledore," Umbridge snapped.
Harry nodded and lead Indigo out.
"What did Dumbledore mean, Hadrian? And how did you know that was going to happen?" Indigo demanded as they walked.
"I don't know what Dumbledore meant, Indigo," he lied shaking his head.
"And what about my other question?" she retorted.
Harry looked at her and contemplated lying to her.
As she stared at him imploringly though he couldn't find it in him to lie to her completely.
"I knew it would happen because me and the Deviants are the whole reason tonight happened. We wanted Dumbledore gone from here because we agree with the Ministry and because he's been trying to get Neville to separate from us. I've got Umbridge wrapped around my finger and all we had to do is let slip about Edgecombe talking to some other students about your club. She brought her in threatened her mother's job and then took it from there. While the others got Edgecombe I wrote that note to you," Hadrian shrugged.
He couldn't tell her anything about Voldemort, he was very lucky that she hadn't already seen his Dark Mark.
"You planned all this? You've known from the start that you were going to rat us out," Indigo hissed.
Harry nodded stoically.
"And do our chances at passing our exams not matter to you?" she demanded.
"Yours? Yes. Everyone else's? Not particularly no," he answered truthfully.
"Hadrian this is our future your playing with," she snapped.
"The future will be what it will be," he shrugged.
She scowled at him.
"We need to practice to pass these exams, you know that," she growled.
"So practice, just don't make it so damn obvious! Umbridge knew about you all straight from the start, you're lucky I managed to put her off so long or you'd have all been caught months ago, Indigo. You don't have the smartest friends you know. Practice in the safety of your common rooms and dorm rooms or go to your head of house as ask them for a way to practice. Just don't fucking brag about it," he snapped.
She was acting like he'd just killed someone.
He snorted internally to himself.
Well she was a Ravenclaw, taking away their study aids was like killing someone.
AN: See you bye Dumbles! :D What did you all think? :)
cocobyrd87- Shit definately went down! :D I have to say I really enjoyed writing this chapter just because it got rid of Dumbledore haha :)
Dragons-Twilight1992 - More here and more coming up! :D
NCIS FTW - It's because the twins are awesome ;) Errrrm there's twenty four chapters in this book so six more chapters to go :) Hopefully i'll have book 6 written by the time i've uploaded the rest of this book :)